Helms Design District

Room & Board Features Artists in Support of LA Family Housing Copy
2022-03-18 - 2022-03-27 | Room&Board, 3231 Helms Avenue, Culver City, CA, 90034
Please join Room & Board in support of LA Family Housing (LAFH) in an effort to help our homeless neighbors obtain permanent housing and a place to call home. When you purchase an artwork by the featured artist – this month is Hung Viet Nguyen – a 50% donation will be made on your behalf to continue the critical and life-saving services LAFH provides. Hung’s art may be found inside the Room & Board showroom through the month of April.
ABOUT THE ARTIST

Hung Viet Nguyen paints Landscape series as a visual expression of the senses rather than literal representation of specific landmarks or locations. Inspired by his many travels and the experience of place, it is memory, along with the emotion and spirit of each space that he translates into a semi-abstract expression of what it felt like to be there. Expressed through a complex layering of paints, Nguyen starts with thick bases of oil under-painting, then organizes space into landmass, mountains, sky, and water boundaries. Using color and objects to create depth, the ultimate sensation is a feeling of infinite space.
Nature is a sacred place; he always paints nature respectfully.
Born in Vietnam in 1957, Hung Viet Nguyen studied biology at the Science University in Saigon. After relocating to the U.S. in 1982, Nguyen found work as an illustrator, graphic artist and designer. He developed his artistic skills carefully studying a variety of traditional Eastern and Western forms, media and techniques. His complex, labor intensive use of oil paint reveals a mastery of texture. While portions of Nguyen’s work suggest the influence of traditional forms such as woodblock prints, oriental scroll paintings, ceramic art, mosaic, and stained glass, his ultimate expression as an artist asserts a more contemporary sensibility.

Join @arcanabooks for "Show & Tell" Moderated by Jason E.C. Wright
2022-03-17 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA
On Thursday, March 17th at 5:00 PM, join Arcana: Books on the Arts for an Instagram “Show & Tell” as we welcome back moderator Jason E.C. Wright of @burntsiennaresearchsociety. You are in for a real treat so gather up your art books, design books, coffee table books or rare magazines and come nerd out with Jason.
Here’s how it works: Jason will be live @arcanabooks sharing some of his faves with you. Raise your hand to share and he will tap you in. Chat about your most influential book or bookshop. Enjoy the hour, meet some interesting people, and support your local bookstore. @arcanabooks is a great place to start, online or in person. Shop Local and Love Local. We should be ready to gather in person next month so stay tuned for more details. There’s nothing like a little book fun in the middle of the week. Thanks Jason!
ABOUT JASON
Jason E.C. Wright is the Founder of Burntsienna Research Society, a critical-thinking research consultancy for design histories, intangible culture, and reference materials. Jason is Indiana born and raised, who now considers Los Angeles home. Jason is an accomplished designer, researcher, writer, with 20+ years as a retail and fashion professional, who takes his love of books seriously, serving as librarian-in-residence at home in Treehouse Hollywood.

Pasta in Blue (Ocean)
2022-03-08 - 2022-03-10 | Pasta Sisters, 3280 Helms Avenue, Culver City, CA, 90232
Pasta Sisters
3280 Helms Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232
March 8, 9 and 10
Pasta Sisters is opening their kitchen to the amazing Executive Chef, food stylist, and Food Networks’ Chopped winner: Barbara Pollastrini.
From March 8th to March 10th, Barbara will feature her signature “Blue Ocean” Pasta (made with Spirulina) tossed in homemade Uni-butter and Santa Barbara Prawns, topped with Uni and Wild Salmon Roe.
This special dish will be available only for dine-in at the Culver City location.
Join us as Chef Pollastrini blends design, tradition, and innovation to create a uniquely flavorful work of art!
The number of dishes per day is limited. We highly recommend to plan accordingly by pre-ordering your dish on Eventbrite or at Pasta Sisters in Culver City.
PRE-ORDER NOW
Everyone at PASTA SISTERS is profoundly grateful for your continued support.

The Chance to Paint Each Other Gold: Art Exhibition + Documentary Premiere of "Ink & Linda"
2022-03-05 - 2022-03-13 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Inside the Helms Design Center
8745 Washington Boulevard, Suite A, Culver City
March 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, and 13th
March 5th and 6th are SOLD OUT but please join us for one of the other three nights.
Free
Join us for The Chance to Paint Each Other Gold, a multi-layered experience centered around an installation of the shared street art and subsequent wall art created by Inksap–a theater in which to experience the world premiere of Stuart C. Paul‘s new documentary Ink & Linda followed by Q&A and a live and intimate demonstration revealing Inksap and Lack’s artistic process.
Ink & Linda is a feature-length documentary chronicling the unexpected friendship and collaboration between Inksap, a Vietnamese American Urban Street Artist in his 20s, and Linda, an elder stateswoman of the modern dance scene in her 70s–as they team up to form L.A.’s most unlikely street art duo. They are the epitome of artists cross-pollinating one another. Defying the boundaries between generations and cultures, their story challenges the conventions of art and society, exploring what it means to be an artist in today’s world. Linda and Inksap’s origin story is a romance, but their relationship is not romantic; it is a tale of two outsiders from different worlds who found meaning within one another, breeding a new consciousness of meaning for art and themselves.
This event has limited seating – TICKETS ARE REQUIRED. If the evening you select is sold out, we will have a “waitlist” and release tickets when they become available prior to the event night. We welcome you to join us for the entire evening. This is a multi-layered experience. You may view, purchase, and enjoy The Art at your leisure.
REGISTER FOR TICKETS
Let’s stay safe! According the the most current L.A. County COVID guidelines for indoor events, all guests are required to provide proof of vaccination and must wear a mask. Thank you for helping us to continue to host in-person events. Updated information will be sent with your Eventbrite Ticket reminder the day before the event.

ABOUT LINDA

Linda Lack Ph.D., artist and scholar, has dedicated her life and work to the study of the human body, movement — breath — and their relationship to creativity, healing, and spiritually. She is a dancer, a movement therapist/specialist, educator, ritualist, performer, and lecturer. Lack has focused on targeting injury resolution, resolving chronic pain, deterring the effects of aging and using structured movement for transforming the outcomes of emotional and physical disease. She is an expert in the analysis of movement problems for both untrained novices and highly-trained clients.
Lack has also been the primary soloist and choreographer of the masked-dance rituals she performed both on stages and in the wilderness with her company, Two-Snake Dance and Design. She is an Arts-Based researcher in the academic community. Lack has been funded and acknowledged by the Rockefeller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Samadha International Healing Awards, Los Angeles Area Dance Alliance Awards for Innovative Choreography, and a LACE award for her life’s work, elucidating the role of spirituality in Body Movement.
Lack has simultaneously spent 50 years developing The Thinking Body – The Feeling Mind®, a technique taught and practiced at her studio in Los Angeles and now in Malaysia, Australia, Europe, Israel, Central America, Mexico and throughout the U.S. The Thinking Body-The Feeling Mind® is a movement modality/training that is interdisciplinary, explorative, and simultaneously scientific — a contemporary healing, maintenance, and body sustainability technique. TBFM® has been recognized alongside Pilates, Feldenkrais, Bartenieff and Alexander Technique as a contemporary movement training/healing method. Students using the technique have been accepted into diverse programs such as Alvin Ailey II, Cirque du Soleil, North Carolina School of Performing Arts, Julliard, the graduate program at San Francisco Institute of Psychology, and Goddard.
Lack has introduced TBFM® to various communities such as The Congress on Research for Dance; The International Association of Yoga Therapists; and The Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota Columbia, one of the most prestigious health organizations in Latin America; Suny Purchase Dance Department N.Y., and Bill Evan’s Dance Intensives.
Currently, Lack and the artist known as INKSAP collaborate on Project Us — “The Chance to Paint Each Other Gold”. They are performance artists. Her movement is captured by INKSAP for Street Art, Wall Art, and their Performance Art. Ink & Linda, the documentary by Stu Paul, depicts the unlikely story of these two artists accidently thrown together. For more information on Linda Lack, Ph.D., visit www.lindalack.com.

ABOUT INKSAP

Brandon Lam (b. 1994) — who is widely recognized as INKSAP— creates works of art that can be found on the streets and in galleries. His art melds cultures and patterns, life drawings and screen printed images of people in his life, creating a repertoire of works he installs outside. While each installed piece is vulnerable to alterations from the world, Lam acknowledges and welcomes these changes. He believes art is a living object that should be subjected to external variations.
His debut work titled Xuanha features a young girl wearing a face mask and carrying a tree in her backpack. This image — which was burned into a silkscreen and then printed onto paper — has been installed in numerous urban settings. Installing art in the streets since 2015, he has been invited to partake in artistic events and projects around the world. Discovering that the streets provided a public platform that anyone could access, his work developed into large outdoor murals and site-specific art installations.
“I found the streets a more interesting, vital canvas than the walls of a studio,” Lam says. “Art is unexpected outside. We have been taught that great work only exists in private spaces. My work bridges the gap between how art should be presented versus art being accessible. This, in turn, gives viewers from all levels of society the ability to bring the work to life.”
As his work matures, so do his theories for site-specific art. For him, artwork should not overpower an urban environment. Instead, the artwork should embrace the public space to create a seamless cohabitation.
“One of the most difficult practices as an artist is disconnecting oneself after the work has been completed,” Lam points out. “Typically we commit to the work with full emotion, expecting that feeling to stay. A visual work comes alive after its completion; it has a life of its own. There comes a time when one must let go. I find myself inspired by the discomfort, and I now celebrate its presence in my process.”

ABOUT STU

Stuart C. Paul is a screenwriter and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television, he is known for his ability to elevate whatever genre he is working in, bringing his unique blend of intelligence, point-of-view and character depth to each project he undertakes.
Ink and Linda is his first documentary feature. Previously, he wrote and directed the award-winning comedy short The Lord Of Catan. Starring Amy Acker and Fran Kranz, the film tells the cautionary tale of a married couple whose game night plunges them into a vortex of madness and destruction.
He is currently in pre-production on A Boy Called Lee, which explores the issues of juvenile justice, truancy and gun violence through the lens of Lee Harvey Oswald’s time spent in a New York juvenile psychiatric facility. He is also at work on Infernal, a feature-length horror film that examines the concept of the devil through the lens of self-actualization and mental health.
As a screenwriter, he has worked with acclaimed directors across many different genres, including Takashi Miike, Anton Corbijn and Roland Emmerich. He has sold projects to companies all across Hollywood including MGM, Universal, NBC, STX and more. His original screenplay Yasuke was included on the 2021 Black List, the film industry’s annual honor roll of the most acclaimed unproduced film scripts of the year.
Also an acclaimed comic creator, his graphic novel Ides Of Blood, which reimagines the assassination of Julius Caesar by vampires, was published by DC Comics. The series was nominated for three CBG Fan Awards, including Best Writer.
In his spare time, he practices Japanese swordsmanship and takes his cat on hikes.
He is represented by Paradigm and Circle of Confusion.

deCoding Asian Urbanism: A Discussion
2022-03-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Inside the Helms Design Center
8745 Washington Blvd, Culver City
Thursday, March 3rd, 6:00 to 8:00 PM
Free
Register for the discussion, as seating is limited.
REGISTER FOR TICKETS
deCoding Asian Urbanism is a timely book and exhibition about the unprecedented, meteoric growth of Asian cities, and the “urban acupuncture” projects that are making them more liveable. This Thursday, March 3, Helms invites you for a reception and conversation about the issues raised by DAU. What happens to cultural identity in the face of such extreme change and what can designers do to recreate a sense of place? Does the extreme density of Asian cities represent the future for all growing cities?
Frances Anderton will lead a dialogue with Farooq Ameen, Bangladesh-born architect, planner and creator of DAU; Astrid Haryati, Indonesian-born architect, planner and past deputy on public policy for Indonesia’s Minister of Trade; and Kulapat Yantrasast, Thailand-born architect and thought-leader in the fields of architecture, art, and sustainable design.
While there, visitors can tour the DAU exhibition. Ameen, designer Caglar Gokbulut, filmmaker Miriam Kuhlmann, Swinerton construction and other talents have transformed a showroom at the design center at Helms Bakery District into a maze of tight spaces, containing vivid photographs, visualizations of stunning population growth data, kaleidoscopic films of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Tokyo by Kuhlmann, as well as moments of respite from the chaos in depictions of ancient culture and in new developments aimed at reconnecting residents to cultural touchpoints and to nature.
The exhibition’s relevancy is expansive. By exploring this exponential growth and its impact worldwide, deCoding Asian Urbanism seeks to stimulate a dialogue between policymakers, designers, and public officials shaping cities in today’s multilayered paradigm.
A book signing will follow the discussion.
Speakers
Farooq Ameen is the founding principal of City Design Studio, an architecture and urban design practice based in Los Angeles, with projects in Asia, Europe and the US. He has held academic appointments at SCI-Arc (LA /Lugano) and Cal Poly among others. Ameen is a Board Member at the A+D Architecture and Design Museum and the Council for Open Building. He received a Master of Architecture from UCLA. He is co-curator of the DAU exhibition and the related publication with Kenneth Frampton and Ken Yeang.
Kulapat Yantrasast is a thought-leader in the fields of architecture, art, and sustainable design. Originally from Thailand and now based in Los Angeles and New York, he is the founding partner and Creative Director of WHY, a multidisciplinary design practice. WHY, an AD100 Firm since 2019, has engaged in major museum projects including the Rockefeller Wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the expansion of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. In 2009, Yantrasast received the Silpathorn Award for Design from Thailand’s Ministry of Culture for outstanding achievement and notable contributions to Thai contemporary arts and culture.
Astrid Haryati is an architect, planner and the founder of TERRA LUMEN, an architecture studio based in Jakarta, Bandung, and Beverly Hills with a focus on placemaking in urban and natural settings. She previously served as deputy on sustainable strategies for the Mayors of Chicago and San Francisco and as deputy on public policy for Indonesia’s Minister of Trade. Her commercial and non-profit initiatives include award-winning nationwide and community-based projects in the US, Indonesia, and Turkey among others such as for sea turtle beach communities in the coral triangle region and Indonesia’s informal STEAM education.
The DAU project’s decade-long effort and research are memorialized in an accompanying 458-page publication that includes the work of prominent sociologists, architects, historians, urban designers, and activists from across the globe, each providing a unique perspective on the complexity of the contemporary city. Extensively illustrated with project images, analytical diagrams, maps, and selected photographs, it includes excerpts of spirited panel discussions from a symposium at Harvard University.
The project is curated by British historian Professor Kenneth Frampton, Malaysian ecologist and architect Ken Yeang, and Los Angeles-based urban designer Farooq Ameen. It builds on multi-year collaborations with the Art Center College of Design, the Bengal Foundation, and Harvard University. The exhibition is made possible by the very generous support of Walter N. Marks, Inc. and the Helms Bakery District. A+D is also indebted to Swinerton Builders, Crisp Imaging, City Design Studio, Francis Krahe & Associates, S2N Technology Group, and others who partnered with the institution to realize the show’s installation.
If you are unable to join us for the discussion, please register for tickets to see the exhibition before it closes on March 12th.
EXHIBITION TICKETS
Let’s all stay safe! Proof of vaccination will be required to enter the exhibition. Thank you for helping us to continue hosting in-person events.

Distant Crowds: A reception, lecture, and discussion with Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg
2022-02-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Join us on Thursday, February 24th, 6:30-8:30 pm for a reception, lecture, and discussion with Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg, Space Popular
Distant Crowds
In collaboration with the Helms Bakery District and the Cal Poly SLO LA Metro Program in Architecture and Urban Design
HELMS DESIGN CENTER
8745 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Free Parking is available at the corner of Helms Ave. and Venice Blvd.
Lecture is Free and Open to the Public
RSVP

Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg
Space Popular is directed by Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg, both alumni of the Architectural Association in London (2011). They founded the practice in Bangkok (2013) and have been based in London and Spain since 2016. Space Popular creates spaces, objects, and events in both physical and virtual space, concentrating on how the two realms can blend together. The studio has completed buildings, exhibitions, public artworks, furniture collections, and interiors across Asia and Europe, as well as virtual architecture for the immersive internet. Clients, collaborators, and commissioners include national institutions such as MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Art, Rome, Italy; The Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design –ArkDes, Stockholm, Sweden; Royal Institute of British Architects, London, UK; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea; as well as independent galleries such as MAGAZIN, Vienna, Austria; and Sto Werkstatt, London, UK.
Lesmes and Hellberg both have extensive academic experience having taught architectural design studio since 2011, first at INDA, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok from 2011 to 2016, at the Architectural Association in London from 2016 to 2021, and currently at Daniels, Faculty of Architecture, University of Toronto since 2020, and UCLA Architecture and Urban Design since 2022. Their current MArch design and research studios both at Daniels and UCLA investigates visions for civic architecture in the immersive internet.

Introduced and moderated by Stephen Phillips, AIA, PhD, Principal of Stephen Phillips Architects (SPARCHS) and professor, director, Cal Poly LA Metro Program in Architecture and Urban Design (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) and Jimenez Lai, Principal of Bureau Spectacular and faculty, Cal Poly LA Metro Program in Architecture and Urban Design (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo)
Photos (Left to Right): Image of Lara Lesmes, Image of Arquia Proxima, 2020, Image of Fredrik Hellberg.

Join @arcanabooks for "Show & Tell" Moderated by Jason E.C. Wright Copy
2022-02-17 17:00 - 18:00 | Online, CA
On Thursday, February 17th at 5:00 PM, join Arcana: Books on the Arts for an Instagram “Show & Tell” as we welcome back moderator Jason E.C. Wright of @burntsiennaresearchsociety. You are in for a real treat so gather up your art books, design books, coffee table books or rare magazines and come nerd out with Jason.
Here’s how it works: Jason will be live @arcanabooks sharing some of his faves with you. Raise your hand to share and he will tap you in. Chat about your most influential book or bookshop. Enjoy the hour, meet some interesting people, and support your local bookstore. @arcanabooks is a great place to start, online or in person. Shop Local and Love Local. We should be ready to gather in person next month so stay tuned for more details. There’s nothing like a little book fun in the middle of the week. Thanks Jason!
ABOUT JASON
Jason E.C. Wright is the Founder of Burntsienna Research Society, a critical-thinking research consultancy for design histories, intangible culture, and reference materials. Jason is Indiana born and raised, who now considers Los Angeles home. Jason is an accomplished designer, researcher, writer, with 20+ years as a retail and fashion professional, who takes his love of books seriously, serving as librarian-in-residence at home in Treehouse Hollywood.

deCoding Asian Urbanism Exhibition
2022-01-30 - 2022-03-12 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Inside the Helms Design Center
8745 Washington Blvd, Culver City
EXTENDED DATES and NEW HOURS
January 30 – March 12, 2022
Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun 12-5 PM
Free
Get your tickets to the exhibition deCoding Asian Urbanism.
REGISTER FOR TICKETS
deCoding Asian Urbanism is timely given the meteoric growth of Asian cities as hundreds of millions of new dwellers are transforming our understanding of urbanism, from China to South Korea, Indonesia, or India. The exhibition’s relevancy is expansive. As migration from Asia continues worldwide and economic connections deepen, the influence of the diaspora is being experienced globally, whether in Los Angeles, Berlin, or Sao Paulo. By exploring this exponential growth and its impact worldwide, deCoding Asian Urbanism seeks to stimulate a dialogue between policymakers, designers, and public officials shaping cities in today’s multilayered paradigm.
The project’s decade-long effort and research are memorialized in an accompanying 458-page publication that includes the work of prominent sociologists, architects, historians, urban designers, and activists from across the globe, each providing a unique perspective on the complexity of the contemporary city. Extensively illustrated with project images, analytical diagrams, maps, and selected photographs, it includes excerpts of spirited panel discussions from a symposium at Harvard University.
The project is curated by British historian Professor Kenneth Frampton, Malaysian ecologist and architect Ken Yeang, and Los Angeles-based urban designer Farooq Ameen. It builds on multi-year collaborations with the Art Center College of Design, the Bengal Foundation, and Harvard University. The exhibition is made possible by the very generous support of Walter N. Marks, Inc. and the Helms Bakery District. A+D is also indebted to Swinerton Builders, Crisp Imaging, City Design Studio, Francis Krahe & Associates, S2N Technology Group, and others who partnered with the institution to realize the show’s installation.
Those who provide proof of vaccination may join us without a mask.

Book Signing: Senon Williams: Words Don't Mean Much
2022-01-29 16:00 - 18:00 | Arcana: Books on the Arts, 8675 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
Please join us for a book signing at Arcana: Books on the Arts
Senon Williams: Words Don’t Mean Much
Saturday, January 29th, 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Arcana: Books on the Arts | 8675 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232
We are delighted to invite you to a book signing celebrating Senon Williams’ new book, Words Don’t Mean Much, published by Hat & Beard Press.
Please come fully vaccinated, wear your mask over your nose and mouth, and maintain distance from others when possible!
You may pre-order a signed copy of the book to be picked up at the store or shipped to you after the event. PLEASE PLACE YOUR ORDER HERE!
The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is turned on its side in Words Don’t Mean Much, Senon Williams’ new book of aphoristic phrasing. Far fewer words are needed to create an illuminating image in the mind’s eye, conjuring immediate multi-sensory experiences.
This book of poems is derived from the text in Williams’ ink on paper drawings, a sampling of which are pictured at left. The drawings are textual extractions and gather momentum within the book, exhibiting great attention to materials and craftsmanship. Every detail, from select paper to classic typeface, has been considered. An object, not unlike a sculpture, can be viewed from all sides, handled – and leafed through in the case of this book – front to back, back to front, or randomly opened. Words Don’t Mean Much is a small pocket book, easy to conceal. A book to keep all to yourself or share intimately.
Native to Los Angeles, Senon Williams is a lifelong visual artist and musician. His longtime study of economy with words and multiple meanings centers on the desire to create glimpses into the inherent human struggle, both ancient and contemporary. Williams’ work finds space in the natural – exposing outstanding and devastating stages of human evolution.

Book Signing: 87 Drawings by Ed Templeton
2022-01-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Arcana: Books on the Arts, 8675 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
Please join us for a book signing at Arcana: Books on the Arts
87 Drawings by Ed Templeton
Saturday, January 15th, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Arcana: Books on the Arts | 8675 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232
We are delighted to invite you to a book signing celebrating Ed Templeton’s newest book, 87 Drawings, published by Nazraeli Press. The book accompanies an exhibition opening January 22nd at Roberts Projects.
Because of the present COVID-19 public health situation, we will be taking extra precautions for this event by keeping the line for the signing outside and limiting contact with Mr. Templeton. Please dress warmly, be vaccinated, and wear your mask over your nose and mouth!
To reduce the risk of exposure for all, you may pre-order a signed and/or personalized copy of the book to be picked up at the store or shipped to you after the event. PLEASE PLACE YOUR ORDER HERE, and include any personalization requests in the NOTES field.
Thank you for your cooperation, care, and respect for the artist!
“87 Drawings by Ed Templeton” is the brand new, beautifully produced survey from Nazraeli Press of the noted Huntington Beach-based artist, photographer, and skate eminence grise’s colorful works on paper from the past fifteen years. Eschewing his trusty Leica in favor of pen, ink, and acrylic paints, the Tempster renders here in detail eighty-seven psychologically-charged portraits of family, friends, archetypical strangers, and his late cat Ptah. These are accompanied by handwritten titles, and a thought-provoking essay by Kim Hastreiter.

Art Exhibition Closing in Support of The Samburu Project
2022-01-08 12:00 - 16:00 | Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232, United States
Free
WALLS OF WATER
Saturday, January 8th
12:00 to 4:00PM
Washington Corridor Gallery | 8723 Washington Boulevard
Join us for the closing event of Walls of Water, with participating artist and curator Rachel X Hobreigh. Rachel gathered 70 artist friends who contributed their work and talent to the second annual wall collaboration for Helms Bakery’s Washington Corridor Gallery. Artists include Kim Abeles, Debra Dobkin, Ken Marchionno, Dennis Mukai, Diana Wong and many other SLMM Artists. Artist Renée Amitai shares her vision of water in a collection of larger paintings and etchings included in this exhibition.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the art serves to support and raise awareness for our international community. The Walls of Water project will provide sponsorship to this year’s selected non-profit The Samburu Project, an organization that affords access to clean water through supporting well communities and numerous initiatives that promote health, education, women’s empowerment, and general well-being.

Last Week for SoCalNOMA's Exhibition "Not Now, But Right Now"
2021-12-15 14:00 - 2021-12-17 18:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
This is the last week to view SoCalNOMA’s exhibition “Not Now, But Right Now”.
“Not Now, But Right Now” is an exhibition of recent projects by members of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SoCalNOMA). SoCalNOMA’s mission is to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the architecture profession, to support our members to amplify their voices and expand their connections to the Southern California community at large, and to increase the pipeline of diverse architects entering the profession in the future.
The works in the exhibition represent a sampling of the tremendous contributions of minority architects and designers to the built environment here in Los Angeles and beyond. Works presented encompass designs of all scales from single family residential, to commercial, and urban planning. The exhibition will include projects from 30+ SoCalNOMA members, projects from student members from local architecture schools, and “future architects” that have participated in the SoCalNOMA project pipeline summer camp.
The exhibition will be on display through the 17th with the gallery open to the public Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2:00 to 6:00 pm.
For more information, visit SoCalNOMA.

SoCalNOMA Panel Discussion with Dr. Betty Williams, Robert Moore, and Drake Dillard
2021-12-11 14:00 - 17:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
On Saturday, December 11th, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, the SoCalNOMA Senior Practitioners Committee will host a conversation with Dr. Betty Williams (wife of NOMA founding member Harold Williams), Robert Moore (LA NOMA Chapter Founder), and Drake Dillard (and past NOMA National President) on the NOMA legacy and the contributions of minority architects to the Southern California community.
Immediately following, enjoy a panel with participants from the exhibition who will discuss their works and their experiences in the profession in Southern California. The panel will be moderated by SoCalNOMA President, Lance Collins. The event is free and open to the public.
RSVP HERE
About the Exhibition
“Not Now, But Right Now” is an exhibition of recent projects by members of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SoCalNOMA). SoCalNOMA’s mission is to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the architecture profession, to support our members to amplify their voices and expand their connections to the Southern California community at large, and to increase the pipeline of diverse architects entering the profession in the future.
The works in the exhibition represent a sampling of the tremendous contributions of minority architects and designers to the built environment here in Los Angeles and beyond. Works presented encompass designs of all scales from single family residential, to commercial, and urban planning. The installation includes projects from 30+ SoCalNOMA members, projects from student members from local architecture schools, and “future architects” that have participated in the SoCalNOMA project pipeline summer camp.
The exhibition will remain on display from December 2nd through the 17th with the gallery open to the public from 2:00 to 6:00 PM Wednesday to Sunday each week.
For updated information, please visit the SoCal NOMA website.

Nature, Art and Habitat Residency 2022 | SOIL: The Critical Zone
2021-12-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
On Thursday, December 9th from 6:30 to 9:00 pm, please join us in welcoming Nature, Art and Habitat for their 2022 Residency, “Soil: The Critical Zone”, an evening conversation focusing on the role of soil as a foundational ecosystem.
RSVP HERE
More than 75% of the earth’s living soil is substantially depleted, while the remaining 25% is of inestimable value. We will discuss and imagine future scenarios about this critical zone.
Head of Ceremony: Deborah Weintraub, AIA, LEED AP
Moderator:
Frances Anderton, Design Journalist
Interlocutors:
Jose Herrasti, AIA
Richard Molina, Designer
SCHEDULE
What is NAHR |Past Program Overview | Introduction and Workshop on SOIL – NAHR’s residency topic for 2022 | Drinks and snacks
Let’s all stay safe! We ask that you provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test result within 72 hours of the event upon arrival. Thanks for helping us to continue to host in-person events.

SoCalNOMA's Exhibition "Not Now, But Right Now" Opens at the Helms Design Center
2021-12-04 18:00 - 22:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
On Saturday December 4th from 6pm to 10pm, SoCalNOMA hosts the Opening Reception for the “Not Now, But Right Now” exhibition in conjunction with the Chapter 2021 Year End Celebration.
The event is open to the public and all are welcome to join in! Admission to the Reception/Celebration is free for SoCalNOMA members and is $20 for guests and the general public. The ticket includes light bites, drinks, and more. All proceeds from the event support all SoCalNOMA Chapter initiatives including the Project Pipeline Summer Camp, the Leadership Development Program, and the DEI Challenge.
RSVP
Event Parking is located inside the interior parking garage at 8711 Washington Boulevard.
“Not Now, But Right Now” is an exhibition of recent projects by members of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SoCalNOMA). SoCalNOMA’s mission is to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the architecture profession, to support our members to amplify their voices and expand their connections to the Southern California community at large, and to increase the pipeline of diverse architects entering the profession in the future.
The works in the exhibition represent a sampling of the tremendous contributions of minority architects and designers to the built environment here in Los Angeles and beyond. Works presented encompass designs of all scales from single family residential, to commercial, and urban planning. The exhibition will include projects from 30+ SoCalNOMA members, projects from student members from local architecture schools, and “future architects” that have participated in the SoCalNOMA project pipeline summer camp.
The exhibition will be on display from December 2nd through the 17th with the gallery open to the public Wednesday through Sunday each week.
For more information, visit SoCalNOMA.

2x8:Assemblies | An AIA Los Angeles Community Exhibition
2021-12-04 11:00 - 15:00, 2021-11-27 11:00 - 15:00, 2021-11-20 11:00 - 15:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
In case you missed the opening event, the 2×8:Assemblies Exhibition will be available for viewing each Saturday through December 4th.
Join us again in person inside the Helms Design Center to view exemplary student projects from 19 unique architecture and design programs throughout California, to celebrate the diversity of architectural philosophy, and encourage conversation around AIA LA’s central theme of Community.
2×8 is an annual non-profit program that functions as a student exhibition, scholarship fund, and design competition. It was formed with the intention of introducing student work to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry. In order to celebrate the academic diversity throughout California, 2×8 invites a broad range of programs from across the state to participate and presents students an opportunity to receive scholarships at the opening reception and ceremony.
Viewing hours are FREE and open to the public.

An Art Exhibition in Support of The Samburu Project
2021-12-02 18:30 - 21:00 | Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232, United States
WALLS OF WATER
Thursday, December 2nd
6:30 to 9:00PM
Washington Corridor Gallery | 8723 Washington Boulevard
Join us for an evening of giving with participating artist and curator Rachel X Hobreigh. Rachel gathered 70 artist friends who contributed their work and talent to the second annual wall collaboration for Helms Bakery’s Washington Corridor Gallery. Artists include Kim Abeles, Debra Dobkin, Ken Marchionno, Dennis Mukai, Diana Wong and many other SLMM Artists. Artist Renée Amitai shares her vision of water in a collection of larger paintings and etchings included in this exhibition.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the art serves to support and raise awareness for our international community. The Walls of Water project will provide sponsorship to this year’s selected non-profit The Samburu Project, an organization that affords access to clean water through supporting well communities and numerous initiatives that promote health, education, women’s empowerment, and general well-being.
In addition to purchasing an original piece of art, we will host The Samburu Project’s pop-up shop, featuring a selection of traditional, handmade baskets and beaded jewelry direct from Samburu. Other items include Swahili textiles, wooden household items, and other handicrafts from Kenya. 100% of the proceeds from items purchased from the pop-up shop benefit The Samburu Project’s work to provide access to clean water to the Samburu people of Northern Kenya.

Li Wen | Lessons from a Career of City-Building in Los Angeles
2021-11-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
On Thursday, November 18th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, AIA Los Angeles and Helms Bakery District invite you to hear Li Wen, in conversation with Frances Anderton at the Helms Design Center.
RSVP HERE
Li Wen, AIA, is one of L.A.’s most insightful thinkers about the urban condition and our region. What can he impart to fellow designers and those interested in city-making, as he leaves his position as design director and Principal at Gensler?
Wen will sit down with Frances Anderton to reflect on an architectural journey, from a boutique office to the top of a corporate firm that has played a large role in shaping contemporary Los Angeles; and a personal journey from the hills of Santa Barbara to the Hollywood Hills, via China, Yale, New York, London, and Paris.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Wen will address the politics of land-use and making an impact as an architect; his thoughts for the future; and how he reconciles his love of driving with his passion for a dense urban life.
Li will also share details of a design project he is still involved with: the master plan for the future of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The event will open with a reception.
Let’s stay safe! We ask that all guests provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test result within 72 hours of the event at check-in.

Join @arcanabooks for "Show & Tell" Moderated by Jason E.C. Wright
2021-11-17 17:00 - 18:00 | Online, CA
On Wednesday, November 17th at 5:00 PM, join Arcana: Books on the Arts for an Instagram “Show & Tell” as we welcome back moderator Jason E.C. Wright of @burntsiennaresearchsociety. You are in for a real treat so gather up your art books, design books, coffee table books or rare magazines and come nerd out with Jason.
Here’s how it works: Jason will be live @arcanabooks sharing some of his faves with you. Raise your hand to share and he will tap you in. Chat about your most influential book or bookshop. Enjoy the hour, meet some interesting people, and support your local bookstore. @arcanabooks is a great place to start, online or in person. Shop Local and Love Local. There’s nothing like a little book fun in the middle of the week. Thanks Jason!
ABOUT JASON
Jason E.C. Wright is the Founder of Burntsienna Research Society, a critical-thinking research consultancy for design histories, intangible culture, and reference materials. Jason is Indiana born and raised, who now considers Los Angeles home. Jason is an accomplished designer, researcher, writer, with 20+ years as a retail and fashion professional, who takes his love of books seriously, serving as librarian-in-residence at home in Treehouse Hollywood.

SQUARE OFF3 | A Photo Installation Supporting SoCal NOMA
2021-11-13 12:00 - 17:00 | Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232, United States
On Saturday, November 13th from 12:00 to 5:00 pm, please join us for SQUARE OFF3, a photo exhibition designed to nurture art and support a selected non-profit organization. This year’s installation focuses on modern, abstract, and vintage architecture in Los Angeles and beyond. The format for each photograph is a 12 x 12 square image centered within a 15 x 15 inch print.
Each photographer will display three images. All images will sell for $100 each with 50% of the proceeds to benefit The Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects with Summer Camp scholarships. The remaining 50% will be awarded to the photographer.
Let’s stay safe! We ask guests to be masked when they enter the gallery. Thank you for supporting in-person events at Helms Bakery.

A Conversation with Architect-Filmmaker-Futurist Liam Young
2021-11-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
Planet City — a Radical Solution to Climate Destruction
On Thursday, November 4th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, Textile Arts | Los Angeles and Helms Bakery District invite you to hear Liam Young, in conversation with Frances Anderton and Benjamin Bratton at the Helms Design Center.
RSVP HERE
Forget carbon taxes and global commitments to use renewables. Climate change demands bigger solutions, like moving all ten billion people on earth to one giant city, leaving the rest of the world to return to the wild, free from human predation. That’s the vision laid out by Liam Young, architect-filmmaker-futurist, in his new film and book, Planet City, showcasing a future world in which flora, fauna and humankind coexist in the Anthropocene, divided between an uber-megalopolis and a “new national park of the world.”
Young will talk about his visionary thought experiment — and the questions it poses about the environment and our place in it — with Frances Anderton, design reporter and curator, and Benjamin Bratton, founder of the design research program The Terraforming, Professor of Visual Arts at UC San Diego, and contributor to the Planet City book.
A meet and greet with Young and Bratton will follow the talk.
Planet City was commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria for the NGV Triennial. Catch Liam’s TEDMonterey Talk here.

A Book Signing + Conversation with ArtCenter's Lorne Buchman and Frances Anderton
2021-10-28 18:30 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
On Thursday, October 28th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, please join us in welcoming Lorne M. Buchman to the Helms Design Center, in conversation with Frances Anderton about his new book on creativity, Make To Know: From spaces of uncertainty to creative discovery.
Michelangelo is said to have seen “the angel in the stone” before he started chipping away at a mute block of marble. Most artists are not blessed with such creative clarity. Rather, they discover their work – art, design, writing, music – as they make it.
In his new book, Make To Know, Lorne M. Buchman, president of ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, draws from interviews with artists, entrepreneurs, innovators and designers—Chris Kraus, Frank Gehry, Zack Snyder, Aimee Bender, Diana Thater, and many others–to demonstrate that creativity is almost always a process, not a lightbulb moment, that creative geniuses are truly few, and that everyone from students to professionals can “make to know” their own ability to create.
​​“This is a book of stories of writers filling blank sheets of paper, designers solving complex problems, installation artists engaging space and materials, and musicians and actors improvising composition and performance. It explores how artists talk about what the creative process itself might reveal,” says Buchman.
Buchman will share some of these stories with Frances Anderton, longtime design journalist. He will also address how design education is meeting a moment of radical social change, and what is next for himself and for ArtCenter College of Design, following Buchman’s retirement in 2022.
A book signing with Lorne Buchman will follow the talk. Arcana: Books on the Arts will provide copies of the book for purchase during the event.
We ask all guests to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test result within 48 hours of the event date during check in. Thanks for keeping everyone safe!

About Lorne
Lorne M. Buchman is president of ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, and an international leader in art and design education. He is also a theater director, dramatic literature professor, and the author of a book on filmic adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. He hosts Change Lab: Conversations on Transformation and Creativity, a podcast in which he conducts interviews with leading artists, designers, and cultural innovators. Buchman previously served on the faculty of University of California, Berkeley. He left that position to become president of California College of the Arts and later Saybrook University. He holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Drama and Humanities.

Join us for the Final Textile Slam! of the Season
2021-10-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom, CA
On Wednesday, October 27th at 7:00 pm, please join us in partnership with Textile Arts | Los Angeles for the final Slam of the season via ZOOM.
Artists share quick insights into their work, process, and intentions. Slam! is an informal, community-oriented opportunity to be impressed or intrigued, to see something new or to celebrate the work of familiar friends. You may discover the seeds of your next wonderful project, or meet your next collaborator in the chat. Be prepared for serendipity.
The season finale will feature artists from our local colleges and universities: Rene Camarillo and Phoebe Takeda of CSULA, Ozzy Alvarez of ArtCenter College of Design, Sofia Masuda of FIDM, and Tina Stephens and Marissa Soto of Woodbury University.
REGISTER HERE
THE SCHEDULE
7:00 pm: Opening Remarks
7:15 pm: Presentations from 4 to 6 artists
8:30 pm: Two-minute wrap-up

Join @arcanabooks for "Show & Tell" Moderated by Jason E.C. Wright Copy
2021-10-20 17:00 - 18:00 | Online, CA
On Wednesday, October 20th at 5:00 PM, join Arcana: Books on the Arts for an Instagram “Show & Tell” as we welcome back moderator Jason E.C. Wright of @burntsiennaresearchsociety. You are in for a real treat so gather up your art books, design books, coffee table books or rare magazines and come nerd out with Jason.
Here’s how it works: Jason will be live @arcanabooks sharing some of his faves with you. Raise your hand to share and he will tap you in. Chat about your most influential book or bookshop. Enjoy the hour, meet some interesting people, and support your local bookstore. @arcanabooks is a great place to start, online or in person. Shop Local and Love Local. There’s nothing like a little book fun in the middle of the week. Thanks Jason!
ABOUT JASON
Jason E.C. Wright is the Founder of Burntsienna Research Society, a critical-thinking research consultancy for design histories, intangible culture, and reference materials. Jason is Indiana born and raised, who now considers Los Angeles home. Jason is an accomplished designer, researcher, writer, with 20+ years as a retail and fashion professional, who takes his love of books seriously, serving as librarian-in-residence at home in Treehouse Hollywood.

Art Walk & Roll Festival 2021 at Helms Bakery District
2021-10-09 11:00 - 18:00 | Helms Design District, 8800 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90034, United States
Free
On Saturday, October 9th from 11 am to 6 pm, Helms Bakery is excited to partner with the Culver City Arts District for their annual Culver City Art Walk and Roll Festival, a self-guided tour and celebration of art, culture, mobility, and our creative community.
Begin at Helms Avenue where you and the kids will enjoy a “cardboard playground” created by our friends at reDiscover Center. Art and Design are at the core of our programming, featuring artists Cynthia Alexandra, Trine Churchill, Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, Yuliya Sigalova, Textile Arts LA’s Tricksters & Transformations exhibition, and a Biophilia poster competition installation from Poster Territory.
Then stroll through the Arts District along Washington Boulevard to visit galleries, enjoy live music, grab a bite, or stop at the mobility test area for e-bike, scooter, and board demos.

Cardboard Play
Join the crowd and build something great in reDiscover Center‘s Cardboard Playground on Helms Walk, our pedestrian plaza on Helms Avenue. With piles of appliance boxes, carpet tubes, and rolls of fabric, your imagination will go wild. Work with reDiscover’s Teaching Artists and our curated family-friendly cardboard tools to learn new construction techniques and make huge structures.
Helms Walk, 8800 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Art + Nature
Come celebrate art + nature during the opening of the International Biophilia Poster Exhibit, exploring humanity’s relationship with the natural environment. 100 poster design finalists were selected from over 3500 global submissions. This exhibit is organized and sponsored by Brand Culture and PosterTerritory. www.biophilial.com
Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA

On the Ropes
Originally conceived for the dream sequence of a theatrical play, Stephanie Kerley-Schwartz continued the process of wrapping rope with silk fabric, envisioning an evolving artwork that can be re-configured in multiple ways in any location. These same ropes have been stretched around boulders in a remote area of Yucca Valley and Stephanie has her eye on other locations — a fenced off-drainage ditch alongside the 10 freeway and a dry stream bed near Ojai. The ropes are making a quick stop at Helms Bakery’s Washington Corridor Gallery during Art Walk 2021.
Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA

Amazonia Delivered
Artist Yuliya Sigalova’s Amazonia Delivered addresses the problem of deforestation and the excessive production of paper products used to maintain our lifestyles. Excess and careless waste, exacerbated by skyrocketing product delivery during the pandemic, contribute to the strain on our resources and animals. A structure built with Amazon boxes, evoking an image of a tall rainforest tree stump, with bark and roots made of void fill paper and other packing materials, will include endangered species of animals and plants of the Amazon forest represented as cardboard and paper sculptures, suggesting their metamorphosis into cardboard and an expression of the fragility of beauty and life traded for convenience.
Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Blvd. Suite A, Culver City, CA

Art + LA Family Housing
Please join Room & Board in support of LA Family Housing (LAFH) in an effort to help our homeless neighbors obtain permanent housing and a place to call home. When you purchase an artwork by the featured artist – this month is Trine Churchill – a 50% donation will be made on your behalf to continue the critical and life-saving services LAFH provides.
Room & Board, 3231 Helms Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Tricksters and Transformations
Tricksters & Transformation, an exhibition in partnership with Textile Arts | Los Angeles, is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate textiles and our community. Textiles have a universally demonstrated capacity for holding meaning, establishing connections, and creating healing. We’re delighted to invite you to share the work with us before the exhibit closes on Sunday, October 10th. The exhibit runs concurrently with Artist in Residence Carmen Mardonéz.
Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Blvd. Suite E, Culver City

Photographic Alchemy
Please join us for ALCHEMY the first public exhibition of works from Los Angeles-based photographer, Cynthia Alexandra. The presentation is informed by a definition of “Divine Alchemy” — “The art of transmutation, the application of spiritual consciousness to physical form, so profound that an entirely new form evolves. It is an irreversible change. A transformation that requires patience, courage and a belief in the power of spirit above all else.” The exhibition features portraits of women who have transmuted challenges in their personal journey to empower others; they stand at various points of their own personal evolutions; some fully-formed, others still in process, but all firmly on the precipice of their next phase of embodiment.
Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Blvd., Culver City

Gallery Opening + Discussion with photographer Cynthia Alexandra and Jason E. C. Wright
2021-10-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Free
On Thursday, October 7th at 6:00 pm, please join us for the opening of ‘ALCHEMY’ the first public exhibition of works from Los Angeles-based portrait and commercial photographer, Cynthia Alexandra. The opening reception will feature a Q&A with the artist hosted by Jason E.C. Wright of Burntsienna Research Society.
The presentation is informed by a definition of ‘Divine Alchemy’ : “Divine alchemy is the art of transmutation, the application of spiritual consciousness to physical form, so profound that an entirely new form evolves. It is an irreversible change. A transformation that requires patience, courage and a belief in the power of spirit above all else.” The exhibition features portraits of women who have transmuted challenges in their personal journey to empower others; they stand at various points of their own personal evolutions; some fully-formed, others still in process, but all firmly on the precipice of their next phase of embodiment.
CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND SECURE A TICKET
With respect to public health, the opening reception will proceed with limited space. All guests must register to attend. Masks will be required inside the gallery and throughout the event. If you do not have a mask, we will provide one upon check-in. Thanks for your support!
About the Artist
Cynthia Alexandra is a self-taught photographer based in Los Angeles. She has always found herself inspired by images that capture the essence of a subject; pulling the viewer in, eliciting a visceral, emotional connection to the moment and to the image. Her practice and approach find her doing the same; drawing as much inspiration from Hilma Af Klimt, fashion editorials, and surreal portraiture, as she does from the subtle, inherent magic in the people, places and things around her.
About the Facilitator
Jason E.C. Wright is Founder and Director at Burntsienna Research Society, an Institute of Design Research and Critical Thought. After twenty years in the fashion retail industry, Jason E.C. Wright shifted from consulting in operations and product development, to quietly establishing Burntsienna Research Society.

Will A New Generation Of Leaders Shake Up L.A.’S Culture?
2021-09-29 18:30 - 20:30 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
A Zócalo/Helms Bakery District Event
Moderated by Frances Anderton, Architecture and Design Journalist
Over the past year, directors of cultural institutions across Los Angeles have announced their retirements, which means a new generation of cultural leadership is upon us. But despite a desire for change that seems nearly universal, new directors must still answer to many of the same funders and face the same pressures as their predecessors—to raise money or sell tickets, to scale up, to stay relevant—all while navigating post-pandemic reopenings and reckonings around race and inclusion. What does Los Angeles need from its new guard of cultural leaders? What obstacles do their institutions face, and how can these new faces surmount them? Will all of the city’s culture centers even survive?
California African American Museum Executive Director Cameron Shaw, Inner City Arts president and CEO Shelby Williams-González, and MAK Center for Art and Architecture director Jia Yi Gu visit Zócalo to discuss the change they plan to be and want to see in one of the world’s most vibrant cultural capitals.
RSVP HERE

Meditative Block Printing with Dusty Guerra
2021-09-19 10:00 - 16:00 | Helms Design Center, 8745 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232
Textile Arts | Los Angeles invites you to Meditative Block Printing with Dusty Guerra
Sunday, September 19th, 10 am – 4 pm, at the Helms Design Center
In this workshop, participants will learn an alternative approach to relief printmaking utilizing a press-less printing method while discovering a repetitive process that will calm the mind and enrich a creative outlet. You will explore and develop your own motifs, either from imagination or in reference to cultural narratives. Learn to work with alternative materials and techniques to design, transfer, carve, register, print, and clean up. You will engage in a studio practice that will emphasize textile printing and pattern making.
There will be opportunity to explore and experiment as a way to develop a series of design networks. The motifs will first be test printed on cotton rag paper and once further developed, the patterns may then be printed onto fabric (Participants are welcome to bring personal garments and pre-washed fabrics to be printed on). We will be using traditional printmaking inks and learn the basics of preparing ink and charging brayers for inking of the blocks — as well as how to efficiently clean up/conserve materials as a way to learn proper printmaking etiquette.
Dusty Guerra is a Xicano artist, printmaker, and educator based in Southern California. As a first generation artist, Guerra explores family heritage and traditions to further investigate the origins of his Mexicanidad. Guerra’s art practice is managing the creation of a non-verbal, spiritual language of symbols and motifs rooted in native belief systems and histories of migration. He holds a BFA in Traditional Printmaking and has been teaching printmaking to underserved communities in Los Angeles for the past 6 years.
MORE INFO
